Best throw flashlights

These are the farthest throwing flashlights currently in production and for sale. This list includes only lights that are produced by major flashlight manufacturers. It does not include lights that are modded or put together by individuals in small batches.

I have tried to put the lights with the longest-range in separate categories. These categories range from small pocketable lights all the way to the lights that need a shoulder strap for comfortable carry. I also try to look at the different budget options available.

Once other flashlights are brought to market that throw farther, they will be listed here. This list contains lights that are currently available, although they may have been brought to market prior to 2019. You may also check out our overview of the brightest flashlights on the market.

Farthest throwing AAA flashlight (10440 lithium included)

Ultratac K18

Although it is difficult to call this type light an actual thrower, the Ultratac K18 seems to have the most throw of any light this size. The K18 runs on a lithium Ion battery that comes installed in the light.

Best AAA thrower

Reverse polarity protection (inserting the battery the wrong way will not damage the flashlight)

Available in aluminum and stainless steel.

Utilizes a CREE XP-G2 S4 LED

Although not considered a real "thrower", the K18 is still the best throwing flashlight of its size. The newest version includes a stainless steel side button to switch modes between low, medium, & high. (the older version has a rubber button). It even includes a low voltage warning which will adjust its brightness by default and warns with a triple blink every 5 seconds.

If you are afraid of having the light switched on in your pockets, you can also do an electronic lockout. It is available in multiple colors, and also includes a brass and stainless steel version.

Best single AA size thrower (including 14500)

Manker T01 II

This premium AA flashlight has the best throw in the single AA department. It sports the XP-L Hi LED.

Best AA thrower flashlight

Claims 500 lumens, but in reality it does just over 400 lumens on 1 eneloop AA battery

Max 900 lumens on 14500 lithium ion battery

Side switch

AA and 14500 (specs say not to use protected batteries)

4 standard modes + 3 hidden blinky modes: strobe, SOS, and beacon

Available in Cool white and Neutral white.

The earlier version (V1) of this light was launched in the 4th quarter of 2015, so it has been on the market for quite some time. The differences between V1 & the newer V2 are few.The V2 has the addition of a lanyard hole in the tailcap and stainless steel bezel. V2 (the second version) came to being in late 2016 or early 2017, and has not yet been surpassed by any other flashlight maker.

Although the manufacturers claim of 500 lumens is not realistic, the reality of 400 lumens is not bad at all! At this price only the Zebralight has a brighter flashlight, but the throw is much less.

Lumintop GT Micro

Best AA thrower flashlight

The size of a keychain flashlight

500+ Lumens on Vapcell 14500 / 700Lumens on Efest.

14500 batteries only (same size as AA battery)

Side switch

Once started as the farthest throwing flashlight, the Lumintop BLF GT transformed the flashlight community. It was a huge beast (we also reviewed it) that could reach to about 1 mile+. When the BLF GT was such a succes Lumintop decided to copy their extremely popular BLF GT into a smaller version, the GT Mini, which uses 18650 batteries. When that was also a great succes they included the GT Micro, with 14500 batteries. And that is the one you are looking at right now. BLF member Tom E measured up to 62kcd with a Efest 14500 flat top battery, which is amazing. Make sure you buy a good quality cell to reach the max output!

Best 2AA thrower

Jaxman M2

This rather cheap 2*AA flashlight has the best throw for a 2*AA flashlight. It also has the largest head.

Best 2*AA thrower

Biggest reflector on any 2*AA flashlight

Only 2 modes.

Unfortunately no real low mode.

Runs off 2xAA only, no 14500!

Available in Cool white and Neutral white.

The Jaxman M2 was introduced back in 2017 with a rather unique large head and reflector. The Jaxman M2 is therefore a great light for families with kids that want a little more "throw" than the usual 2AA flashlight. If you really want to have some punch you should go towards the 4AA flashlights. They have much more lumens and much more throw. But you better decide what you want to use the light for before purchasing any kind of light.

Farthest throwing 4AA flashlight

Thrunite TN4 hi

The Thrunite TN4 HI uses 4 AA batteries. Great for people and families who don't want to use lithium batteries.

Best 4xAA thrower

Powered by 4 AA batteries (eneloops recommended) which makes it much safer to use, for older children & uninformed adults; than lithium powered flashlights.

Press and hold switch to change modes. This feature might be a ‘negative’ for some people that prefer clicks to change modes. But, that said…. it is a feature that works nicely.

No electronic lock-out. So if you don't want your batteries to drain, simply do a manual lockout by slightly twisting the battery tube to loosen it from the head. This breaks the circuit and stops parasitic drain.

If your looking for a great multiple AA powered thrower, the Thrunite TN4A HI (not the other versions of the TN4A) is the way to go. It has more throw than the Sunwayman D40A and F40A.

PLEASE NOTE…….

Families with (older) children might want to stay away from lithium ion powered flashlights or at least keep these lights away from children. Lithium Ion powered lights are not toys. Uninformed adults should avoid them also if they do not take time to learn a few basic safety rules regarding Lithium Ion batteries & powered lights.

‘Throwers’ & ‘high powered’ lights aren't supposed to be used by children anyway. They are NOT toys and can be very harmful to the human eye if used irresponsibly.

Smallest single cell thrower

Lumintop GT Mini

Smallest far throwing flashlight in production over 100kcd.

XPL-Hi LED for maximum throw.

Rated at 135000cd (equals 135kcd) (just 5kcd above the #2)

Low battery protection

Maximum reach only possible with a good high drain cell, eg. sony VTC6 or Samsung 30Q.

Just beating the #2, this little gem beats many flashlights from the past with half the size. It's amazing how far LED flashlights have come, and the Lumintop GT Mini is impressive. So much throw in such a small package, you won't even notice this one in your pcket. just kidding. At least in your jacket or backpack. You need to use good quality high amp batteries to reach max potential! Make sure you buy quality cells for this little beast! Check out our review on the Lumintop GT Mini here.

Emisar D1S

#2

Powering a XPL-Hi LED for max throw, mounted on copper for best heat transfer.

Rated at 130000cd (equals 130kcd)

Low battery protection

Can use with shorter battery tube with a 18350 battery

Includes the Emisar D4 UI

Max power only possible with good high drain cell like the sony VTC6 or Samsung 30Q.

If you want a pocketable thrower, this is it. Although the Convoy C8 is much cheaper and not much bigger. This Emisar holds its own. Not widely available though. Only at 2 shops worldwide. Running of a 18650 Lihtium Ion battery you need to know how to charge them with a special charger. For chargers we recommend the Opus BT C3100 or SkyRC MC3000.

Best cheap single cell thrower below $20

Astrolux C8 with XP-L Hi

Best budget single cell thrower

Powering a XPL-Hi LED for max throw, mounted on copper for best heat transfer.

Price is usually around $20

Rated at 100000cd (equals 100kcd) which equals a beam of 640 meters

Has a built-in step down timer. Which can be a pro and a con.

Max power you will only get with a good quality 18650 lithium ion battery like the Sony VTC6

The C8 style flashlights have been around since 2012 I believe. But quite frankly only the last 2 years they have become of good quality. The KD C8 was a famous light back in the day. This Astrolux brings the C8 family to the next leverl. Not only because of the quality of the light, it also is much more powerful than other C8 production lights. Even brighter than the much-loved Convoy C8 of which I own one.

Best single cell throwers

Astrolux FT02

Best single cell 21700 flashlight with best range

Available with XPH25-HI led for the farthest reaching beam (latest version)

Rated at 2200 lumens

160000cd (I measured as high as 180kcd)

Ramping brightness, so no modes

Momentary on (which means it can be use with morse coding)

Battery check

Runs off 21700/20700 and 18650 batteries with battery adapter

Announced in 2018 this was the first Throw production light made by Astrolux for 21700 batteries. The XHP35 HI is a flat LED. This results in amazing throw numbers. Astrolux claims a 160kcd reach, but our own Astrolux FT02 review shows even bigger numbers, as high as 188Kcd. That is one real thrower! We received a discount code that we can share with you: BGFT02.

Astrolux FT03

Best 26650 flashlight thrower

Available with SST40 led for the farthest reaching beam (latest version)

Rated at 2400 lumens

190000cd / 190Kcd

Ramping brightness, so no modes, UI is just like the FT02

Momentary on (which means it can be use with morse coding)

Battery check

Using 26650 batteries

The Astrolux FT03 is a budget thrower with great, great capabilities. Just 3 years ago we would have trouble reaching this far with a highly modded single cell flashlight. Now we can have almost 200kcd for $30-$40, which is amazing. Peter reviewed the Astrolux FT03 as high as 240Kcd, which is extremely good for this price. The only downside is that you need to buy a 26650 battery and a charger. There are many chargers who would not be able to charge this size batteries. If you are looking for a great bang for your buck thrower, this could definitely be the one you are looking for.

Best Long Range Flashlights

Astrolux MF02

XHP35 Hi led. King of the hill in the budget throwers realms. Max 3000 lumens and 1500 meters of throw.

Best Longest throw Budget flashlight

Stainless steel bezel

XHP35 Hi led at 12V

On sale it can be had for below $99

Low voltage protection

Negative: high parasitic drain, so you need to use a lock out

The Astrolux MF02 was announced in the last quarter of 2017. It is still a rather "compact" thrower as the dimensions are only 190mm by 84mm wide max. Astrolux is known for having high quality but affordable flashlights. It has a tripod mount so you could use it on a tripod. It also supplies a carry strap with the light. There is not much more to say. Use code YMF02 to get the price down. Let me know if any of the codes doesn't work anymore.

BLF GT Lumintop

#3 Farthest throwing LED flashlight in the world

2000 lumens

1.2 million candlepower, for a reach of up to 2100 meters

Can be run on 4 or 8 x 18650 batteries

Batteries are not included when purchasing the light only. However, certain vendors have package deals that can include batteries, lens cover, shoulder strap, protective carry bag, and a short battery tube.

PLEASE NOTE;

If you are new to Lithium Ion powered flashlights you need to know how to properly charge & care for these batteries. Safety is extremely important. There is plenty of information on BLF (Budget Light Forum) and CPF (Candle Power Forum) about charging these kind of batteries & Lithium Ion battery safety in general.

TheBLF GT is currently a close 2nd to the ‘King of the Thrower Hill’, the Astrolux MF04. There are other LED super throwers, but they are not manufactured in mass. They are mostly put together by individuals who modify factory lights.

Remember to see my review for promotion codes.

Astrolux MF04

They competed with the Lumintop BLF GT, and they succeeded. Order now, after checking out my review of course.And do not forget to use the discount coupon!

Check out the MF04 review and also see some comparisons of it & the Lumintop BLF GT, which I also reviewed. With a simple UI, the MF04 is an extremely nice flashlight. It is available in CW (cold white) and NW (neutral white). Your choice depends on your personal tint preference.

. Use code: 720f70 for getting a nice discount at Banggood.

ACEBEAM K75

Acebeam entered the farthest reaching flashlight game with a very impressive flashlight. The K75 is taking on the 2 farthest reaching LED flashlights on the market!

#1 Long distance flashlight

Farthest reaching beam: beam reaches up to 2.5km (1562500cd)

4 x 18650 batteries (not always included)

Luminus SBT-90 gen2 LED

6,300 Lumens

Eco mode group ( 6 settings)

Power mode group (6 settings)

Acebeam has done it again. Instead of copying another throw flashlight they went a different route and made it a monster in its own league. With the Luminus SBT-90-2 Acebeam decided to not only increase throw, but also lumens by 3 times! Both the Lumintop BLF GT and Astrolux MF04 have about 2000 Lumens. But the K75 beats both by a great margin.

Currently the farthest reaching LED flashlight in the world.

BONUS

Lemax LX70 Superpower

Farthest throwing production flashlight currently available (but at a premium price.)

This one is on the top when it comes to farthest throwing searchlights on the market. There are some ‘individuals’ who make a brighter searchlight, including the Mega Blaster, Maxa Blaster, Swan Blaster and the Moon Blaster... to name a few. But these are all produced by flashlight enthusiasts, and not by a large manufacturer.

So the Lemax LX70 is currently the farthest throwing flashlight, although it does not use LED technology. This searchlight needs special attention and is not meant to be used by children. THIS IS NOT A TOY!!

Price $2500+

A flashlight thrower buyers guide

What do you need to look for in a flashlight to know that it can reach far?

First of all, read reviews in order to understand how far a flashlight can really reach. A little reading will save you much time and also make your choice much easier.

Manufacturers' claims are not always accurate. In fact, in many cases they are very inaccurate. If you want to test lights yourself, you can buy a LUX-meter and test them.

In order to decide which flashlight fits your needs best, you need to answer a few questions first.

What is the application?

Hunting?

Just for around the house/farm?

As a backup flashlight?

Really just for fun?

Do you know how to charge lithium Ion batteries?

If not, (and you are NOT willing to take time to learn how to do so safely) please stick to the AA powered flashlights or those with built-in lithium ion battery packs.

Who will use the light?

If you have a family that uses the light as well, consider the following:

Lithium Ion powered flashlights are more powerful than AA flashlight of the same size, and at the same time more dangerous. Lithium Ion powered lights ARE NOT TOYS!! Lithium batteries need more attention than regular NiMH batteries like eneloop. Get the Thrunite T4N if you have older kids or the Jaxman M2 if you have younger kids.

Do you have a dedicated Lithium ION battery charger?

If not, (and you DO NOT want to get one & learn how to use it safely) take a look at a good AA thrower, like the Thrunite TN4A.

You could also consider a flashlight that has a built-in LiIon battery pack that you can charge with a USB charger.

If you do have a Lithium Ion charger and know how to safely use it, then every option is open to you. Now you will need to look at some other requirements.

Where do you want to store the light?

Size is what matters. If you have enough storage space, you may well want to look at some of the larger lights.

If you don't have much storage space, for example in your toolbox; check out the Emisar D1S, Astrolux C8, or other lights in this size range.

How to measure "throw" yourself?

Before you start, you will need a Lux-Meter and a measuring tape; a calculator is helpful also.

I have 3 lux meters, a cheap HS1010A, a SkyTronic LX-101 and a professional Hagner E4-X. They all show different numbers, but for throw I use the SkyTronic. You could always get a cheap one and compare your numbers with numbers of other people on forums like CPF, BLF or on Reddit.

This is how I do my measurement:Measure at 5 meters. (If you have a more powerful thrower like the BLF GT, you should measure at 10, 20, or even 50 meters.)

Warning: Never measure at 1 meter because this will always produce inaccurate numbers, and in most cases your lux meter won't be able to even measure it.

Example: if the highest reading is 1200 on the meter, multiply that by 25 to get the candela. (1200 x 25 = 30,000) Which is 30,000 cd or 30kcd

(Only use this calculation at 5 meters and the same setting on the light meter).

How to calculate throw? Calculate Candela to Meters and Miles

The flashlight wiki gives a simple example on how to calculate Throw in meters from candela (candela)

An actual distance for throw can be directly calculated from the candela value and will be given in meters. The FL-1 standard does just this by providing a light intensity reading in candela and converting this to throw in meters by calculated the distance at which the light will generate 0.25 lux. Throw is just the square root of the light intensity in candela divided by 0.25 lux which gives meters.